Punctuation

Question 1

Period

Answer 1

Ends a declarative sentence or a statement.
Example: The dog barked.

Question 2

Question mark

Answer 2

Ends a sentence that asks a question.
Example: Where is my backpack?

Question 3

Exclamation point

Answer 3

Ends a sentence that shows strong emotion or excitement.
Example: Watch out!

Question 4

Comma

Answer 4

Separates parts of a sentence

Used in lists, after introductory phrases, or before conjunctions
Example: I need a stapler, a pencil, and an eraser.

Question 5

Apostrophe

Answer 5

Shows possession or forms contractions.
Examples:

The cat’s tail (possessive)

Don’t, can’t, it’s (contractions)

Question 6

Quotation marks

Answer 6

Show what someone is saying.
Example: He said, “I need to go to the store.”

Question 7

Semi-colon

Answer 7

Links two related independent clauses OR separates items in a complex list.
Example: I have a dog; he’s very playful.

Question 8

Colon

Answer 8

Introduces a list, example, or explanation.
Example: I need: paper, pencils, and glue.